Infinite Possibilities
by Mcbenzy
Summary: Tony and Pepper are equally distracted by the other.


_Hi guys! This is my first ever fanfic. Just trying this form of writing on for size... Reviews would be nice... Constructive criticism is more than welcome!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Ironman etc._

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It always rears its head when he least expects it. Most people would think that he would be most aroused when she is bent over his desk, reaching for the pen he's made sure is not within her grasp, or when he has deliberately increased the temperature in the house so that she takes off her suit jacket and undoes the top button of her blouse. Indeed, he thinks it's at these times that he should be most turned on, not when she is pouring him a glass of water during a meeting, or typing at a speed which even he finds staggering.

Yesterday it was when she was folding her napkin into a paper crane after dinner. Today it is the way she is absently toying with the shoe on her left foot, letting it flick on and off her heel. It is a simple thing done absentmindedly, definitely not in order to arouse, and Tony knows that it should console him as she seems able to relax in his workspace. She had taken to spending the occasional afternoon in his workshop six weeks ago when she had lots of paperwork for him to sign and needed him at hand. It was, as she had explained, easier to spend half an hour in the workshop than spend two convincing him to leave it.

The 'occasional' afternoon was becoming more frequent. It had progressed from once a week to three or four times, especially if she worked on the weekend, which she mostly did. She told herself that it was because of the mounting paperwork, coupled with his need to be repairing or upgrading the suit; he needed to be in the workshop more often, so she needed increase the frequency of her working visits. The slight changes to the space didn't go unnoticed – the clearing of an area big enough for her laptop and a pile of paper opposite his workspace, the appearance of a pot filled with her favourite brands of pens and highlighters and a wad of post-it notes, and a chair just for her – but they weren't the reasons she was spending more time there. At least they weren't allowed to be the reasons. Nor was the ability to sit and watch him working. That certainly wasn't a reason.

She loved to watch him work on a project. His face was pure concentration and his shoulders became set in a determined manner. She loved his shoulders. From what she'd seen in the past, most women went weak at the knees when they were confronted with his rakish figure front on, in its full Armani clad splendour, smile at full wattage. Not Pepper. She was most distracted by him when he was turned away from her, wearing a simple T-shirt that allowed the natural lines of his body to dictate the shape of the fabric.

Today Pepper is completely distracted. He is sitting across from her, consumed by the circuit board in front of him, delicately soldering pieces into place. He is so absorbed in it that she lets herself do nothing but watch him, forgetting about the stack of papers she is supposed to be reading through. She stares at the line of muscle that goes from his neck down to his shoulder, creating a hard ridge, and she struggles to control her breathing as she suddenly imagines herself biting down on it.

Tony is absorbed, but not by the circuit board. From years of experience he is able to solder blindfolded, which is a good thing as the only thing he sees is Pepper's foot. He sees himself grabbing it by the ankle, stilling its movement, and slipping the heel back in place before running his hand up her calf. He sees himself stop at her knee and lean forward to nibble at the...

"_Sir_." Jarvis cuts into his daydream.

"Hmmm?" replies Tony, reluctant to let the vision go just yet.

"_SIR!_" Jarvis continues, with more emphasis to ensure his attention. "_I regret to inform you, but you seem to have soldered in several components the wrong way round_."

"What? Jarvis, that's impossible"

"_Indeed that may be the case, Sir, but I suggest that you take a closer look at the original schematics._"

Tony is confused. He doesn't make mistakes, well not ones that don't involve people. He's made plenty of mistakes with people. But this is what he does best, what he does better than anyone. He looks up at the diagram and then down at the circuit board.

"Ahhh... Shit!"

He can't be bothered fixing it now. He knows that if he tries he is only going to make more mistakes. The visions he is having of Pepper are not going to let him do anything that requires more than just basic brain functions: breathing, eating, staring...

Tony's outburst couldn't have been better timed if he'd tried. At that very moment, Pepper envisions herself sucking hard on his neck and his vocal addition to her daydream sends a burst of desire straight to her groin and a flush of colour to her face.

"So Potts, whatcha got for me to sign?" Tony asks, finally putting his project down and glancing over towards her. He misses the flush but not the general lack of focus.

"Um, well... Ah..." she stammers as she fumbles through the top papers, realising she hasn't done any work since she got down there and that she cannot immediately find a single thing for him to sign or even look over.

"C'mon now Pepper, you must have something, unless you've been daydreaming the whole time you've been down here. And we both know how unprofessional that would be. Unless you were dreaming about me, in which case I apologise and give you leave to return to your daydream." A wry smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth while he tidies up and puts the project to one side.

"Not daydreaming," she lies, convincingly, "just pondering, you know, life, the universe, and everything."

"Well, the answer is 42. Now, give me something to do."

"What happened to your work? You can't be telling me that you're finished already!"

"Umm..."

"_Actually Miss Potts, Mr Stark has made some critical errors which prevent him from continuing._" Jarvis pipes in.

"Tattle tale!"

Pepper is aghast. This isn't normal. He doesn't make mistakes.

"You made a mistake?"

"Go on. Rub it in. First one in a while. I think I'm allowed them from time to time." He replies, drifting off into his fantasy world again as her shoe swishes back onto her heel, and off again.

Pepper is worried. Tony making mistakes makes her anxious. She feels the need to get to the bottom of it before it becomes something that causes more work for her, or problems for him.

"Something playing on your mind Tony?"

"Hmmm? Ah... No"

It is not a proper response, not from him. She expects irritation or witty deflection, not disinterest. She looks at Tony properly for the first time. He is... He is... He is embarrassed she realises, and distracted. And staring at her foot! She moves it slightly, the shoe still dangling off her foot, and his eyes follow. He is mesmerised and she feels nervous; another flush threatens her complexion as it dawns upon her that she might have been the cause of his errors. It is a satisfying notion, being able to cause Tony Stark to make mistakes, but one which, when mingled with the thoughts she was having about him before, make her wary of their proximity. She needs to put space between them. Quickly, she finds something for him to sign and gets up and walks around to his side of the bench so she can slip out and allow them both to recompose themselves. No work will be done for the remainder of the day if she doesn't get out of there, by either of them.

She stands behind him and leans over to put the papers on the desk. She is careful not to let him see too much of her lest his focus be drawn to something more incendiary than her foot. What she fails to realise is that she has put herself in a position in which _she_ becomes mesmerised. She is standing behind him and his shoulders look delicious.

"Sign here," she points, being careful not to touch him, "and in the same place on the next page."

He reaches for a pen and the muscle she pictured herself sinking her teeth into earlier tightens. Without her consent, her retreating hand runs its fingers along it. They both freeze. Time slows. Goosebumps appear on flesh and nerves are put on high alert.

The sound of a pen dropping and two sharp intakes of breath are all that can be heard.

Tony leans his head ever so slightly to the side, giving Pepper all the encouragement she needs to continue. He desperately wants her to continue, to take the lead, but she doesn't. Her hand stills and she manages to muster enough will power to remove it.

The loss of contact triggers something in him and Tony immediately reaches back and grabs her hand, turning around at the same time. He is looking at her face properly now, for the first time he can remember that afternoon. She is pink, her freckles standing out even more against her skin. She is angry, not at him he realises, but at herself. He wants nothing more than to wipe that anger away with a kiss. He could stand up, grab her and kiss her. It would be easy to take the lead, and wonderful he is certain. Or, he could tug on the hand that he has within his, pull her into his lap, brush his lips against hers and let her finish what he starts. Or...

While contemplating his options, he rubs his thumb over the back of her hand and looks at her. Pepper's breathing becomes shallower and her eyes go from staring at her hand in his, to his eyes, to his lips. His brain suddenly lurches into gear again and he is calculating the possibilities. They are endless, and it hits him: he finds Pepper infinitely fascinating.

Tony stands, invading her space. They are close enough for their breath to mingle. Pepper inches forward and Tony puts his free hand on her shoulder, guiding her closer still.

"I think we both need a break." He says.

Pepper's eyes refocus and the tide of emotions and desire colouring her features ebbs away. She is back in control and neutrality returns to her face. If what just happened had any effect on her, she's not showing it.

"Let's go upstairs. I'll make us coffee while you order in some food. I'm starving."

He is hoping to break her stony reserve and so gives the hand that is still in his a little pull as he leads the way to the stairs. He doesn't let it go though, not at the door, not at the top of the stairs, not until they are in the kitchen and he can see that the beginnings of a smile are already forming.

"Can we get Chinese again? I've got a craving for those dumplings we had last night." He is hoping she'll make another crane with her napkin. He thinks the one he has stashed in his bedside drawer needs company.

"You'd have the same thing every night if you could, wouldn't you?" She calls out as she makes her way to her office to get the menu from her desk.

"Only if you'd finally let me Potts." He breathes when he knows she's out of earshot.

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_Reviews are adored, no matter how long after originally 'completed'._


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